The immigration reform group launched by Mark Zuckerberg has hired a former Priorities USA and DCCC official as its executive director as the legislative fight heads into a crucial week, officials said.

Todd Schulte, former chief of staff at Priorities USA, the pro-Obama super PAC credited with devastating ads about Mitt Romney’s tenure at Bain Capital, has been working in the role in the lead-up to Senate votes on an immigration bill this week, officials said.

He’s the executive director of FWD.us, the umbrella group that’s making a bipartisan pitch for immigration reform through an ad campaign, among other efforts. He’s also the president of the Council for American Job Growth, which is putting its efforts into outreach to progressives and independents.

Before his Priorities USA work, Schulte was chief of staff for former Rep. Scott Murphy (D-N.Y.), and also worked at the DCCC in the 2006 and 2008 cycles.

FWD.us is expected to spend $50 million on its push to back an immigration overhaul, well above what other groups have laid down to move the ball on the issue.

They’ve been on TV and talk radio for the last month, including a string of state-specifics ads in targets like New Hampshire, where they defended Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte, who has been battered on another issue, gun control, by New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s 501c4.